Samsung is Apple's most worthy competitor. Devices from this Korean brand are in great demand and popularity among users. Samsung Galaxy S7 is no exception. The smartphone will appeal to lovers of minimalism and huge capabilities in one device. Samsung Galaxy S7 is a “pumped up” version of the Galaxy S6, as it has absorbed all its advantages and got rid of its shortcomings.
Samsung Galaxy S7 Package Contents
The Samsung Galaxy S7 package includes:
- smartphone;
- Charger;
- USB cable with adapters;
- instructions;
- branded headset;
- SIM tray clip.
Appearance and dimensions of Samsung Galaxy S7
The design of the flagship is classic and has many similarities with the old model - Galaxy S6. Its main difference is the beveled rounded edges. Samsung decided not to make their product too big, but not to make it too small either. The screen diagonal of the regular Galaxy S7 is 5.1 inches, and the S7 Edge model is 5.5 inches. The flagship is equipped with 2.5D protective glass, which makes the device visually flatter. This design looks quite nice and is user-friendly.
Samsung Galaxy S7 received a new color scheme for products in this series. The entire body is made in calm shades. It is completely matte and does not have the metallic effect that was observed in the S6. The user can choose one of the following color variations:
- Gold Platinum;
- Silver Titanium;
- Black Onyx;
- White Peral.
The main camera no longer protrudes above the surface of the body. The Home key is made of matte plastic and is much softer to press. It is located on the same level as the building itself. The power and volume buttons have become narrow and user-friendly.
Main dimensions of the device:
- Length - 142.4 mm;
- Width - 69.6 mm;
- Thickness - 8 mm.
Samsung Galaxy S7 display
Samsung developers try to equip gadgets with reliable and high-quality display models. In the new flagship, the screen has an excellent maximum brightness level and adjustable contrast.
In normal mode, the matrix is not much different from the old Galaxy S6 model. The image is clear and bright. In the “Basic” mode, the user will be able to apply many settings related to the quality of the picture displayed on the display.
The main feature of the Samsung Galaxy S7 is the always-on display. All indicators are displayed in black and white and do not disappear from the smartphone screen. Super AMOLED technology allows you to save a significant amount of energy. This way, when black color is displayed, the smartphone does not consume battery power.
Samsung Galaxy S7 display specifications:
- Diagonal - 5.1 inches;
- Maximum resolution - 2560x1440 pixels;
- Brightness level - up to 340 cd/m^2;
- Color coverage - 100% sRGB;
- Gamma - 2.4;
- Color temperature - 6600 K.
Sound of Samsung Galaxy S7
The phone's audio system has remained virtually unchanged. All speakers have excellent volume and sound clarity.
Unfortunately, such a device is not suitable for professional work with audio files, but the gadget copes well with telephone conversations. If we compare the Galaxy S7 and S6 in everyday tasks, their sound is almost identical and does not raise any complaints.
Samsung Galaxy S7 components
For fast and trouble-free operation, this device has some of the best components.
CPU
Samsung decided to install the best central processor for mobile devices in this device, which is called Snapgradon 820. For users from Europe and Russia, models with a proprietary CPU from Samsung - Exynos 8890 will be provided. It received custom high-performance Mongoose cores. Thanks to the new technical process, the processor has become fast, cool and economical.
Graphics adapter
The video adapter of this gadget, like the processor, is one of the best and easily copes with all the new gaming products. For maximum performance, the Samsung Galaxy S7 is equipped with a top-end Mali-T880 MP12 video accelerator from ARM. The new video adapter is 80% faster than the one installed in the Galaxy S6. The level of performance in games surpasses even the iPhone 6S.
RAM and internal storage
The developers decided not to make any special changes to the storage subsystem of the device. The Galaxy S6 had 4 GB of RAM and remains the same as the new product. Its volume is enough for all tasks performed on a smartphone.
Samsung has decided to return the ability to install a micro-SD drive. The developers say that although UFS 2.0 internal memory is much faster than a regular flash drive, an additional removable drive can be useful in some situations.
As much as 32 GB is provided for storing important data. In addition, the memory can be expanded using a micro-SD card up to 200 GB.
Additional modules
Equally important for a good smartphone is the ability to have reliable wireless communications. Samsung Galaxy S7 has one of the best Wi-Fi and 4G modules. Data transfer speed at the highest level.
The new model also has the ability to relay a Wi-Fi signal. The user will be able to use his gadget as a mobile router.
Cameras Samsung Galaxy S7
Having a good quality camera is very important for any smartphone. Samsung didn't go after more megapixels. Instead of 16 megapixels, the Galaxy S7 received only 12 megapixels, but the image quality has become much better.
The main feature of its main camera is Dual Pixel technology. The speed of working with photographs is excellent. The user can instantly focus the lens and take a photo. There are no delays or stutters when shooting.
To improve the quality of photos taken in low light, a special f/1.7 lens is used.
The camera of the Samsung Galaxy S7 smartphone has the following shooting modes:
- Auto;
- Professional;
- Selective focus;
- Panorama;
- Video collage;
- Live Stream;
- Slow motion;
- Virtual shooting;
- Hyperlapse.
A huge plus is the ability to stream to YouTube using only the built-in functions of your smartphone.
Operating system Samsung Galaxy S7
The flagship from Samsung runs on the Android operating system version 6.0. For more convenient interface management, the developers preinstalled the proprietary TouchWiz shell and a software package from Samsung, Google and Microsoft.
The Galaxy S7 has the ability to work in dual-window mode. In order to open two applications simultaneously on one screen, you need to press and hold the “Menu” button.
The new operating system is specially optimized for gaming. The user can turn off any notifications during the game, block system buttons, or prevent the application from being unloaded from the device's RAM.
Power Samsung Galaxy S7
Galaxy S7 is equipped with a high-quality non-removable 3000 mAh battery. The kit includes a charger with the ability to connect to a power source via a USB port.
The operating time of the flagship is truly impressive. With active use, its charge lasts for more than a day, with passive use - 2–3 days.
All Samsung phones that went on sale in 2016 began to last noticeably longer, thanks to larger batteries and software optimization.
The smartphone also has two built-in wireless charging standards. To fully recharge, the user will need to devote no more than 1.5 hours of his time.
Advantages and disadvantages of Samsung Galaxy S7
Samsung Galaxy S7 is a multifunctional device and has the following advantages:
- Classic design;
- Supports fast and wireless charging;
- Curved display with Super AMOLED technology;
- Long battery life;
- Memory card support;
- High performance.
- Stainless body;
- Combined slot for nano-SIM and microSD;
- Non-removable battery.
The average cost of a Samsung Galaxy S7 is 60,000 rubles.
See the video review of the Samsung Galaxy S7 smartphone below:
By far the most anticipated communicator of the year. And now his presentation has just taken place. This is a new generation of flagships. Vector of the overall development of the smartphone industry. You can learn about the sensory concept, the reimagining of past generations and the unique features of new Galaxy S and read the presentation itself in detail here: “ " And now we propose to move on to the most important information for you and me - specifications.
Let us clarify just a few important differences between the new Galaxy S7 And Galaxy S7 Edge. Capital reincarnations when changing generations Samsung did not produce. However, there were some surprises. First of all, it should be mentioned that these are the world's first smartphones with a camera. Dual Pixel. It combines a fast lens, larger pixels, faster shutter speeds and more precise autofocus with one goal - to make the camera take high-quality photos even in very poor lighting conditions without blur or other image artifacts.
To this should be added sealing according to the IP68 specification (protection from water and dust), displays Always On(like), support for microSD cards, system Game Launcher to notify gamers about the battery status and run charge conservation algorithms. Besides, Samsung creates two modifications each Galaxy S7 And Galaxy S7 Edge equipped with different chipsets depending on the sales region. In some countries, an eight-core 64-bit processor with a clock speed of 2.3 GHz is offered (obviously Samsung Exynos 8 Octa 8890), in others - an identical quad-core 64-bit analogue with a clock frequency of 2.1 GHz (no doubt). The rest of the specifications are below in full detail.
- 2 Nano-SIM SIM cards;
- GSM/GPRS/Edge networks, WCDMA/HSDPA, LTE Cat.9;
- Super AMOLED display with a diagonal of 5.1 inches and a resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels (~577 ppi), with protection and Always On technology;
- Processor quad-core 64-bit with a clock frequency of 2.1 GHz / eight-core 64-bit 2.3 GHz;
- Adreno 530/Mali-T880 video chip;
- RAM 4 GB LPDDR4;
- Built-in memory 32 GB UFS 2.0;
- Support for MicroSD cards;
- Dual Pixel main camera with a resolution of 12 megapixels, pixel size 1.4 microns, f/1.7 aperture, LED flash, phase detection autofocus, optical stabilization;
- Front camera with a resolution of 5 megapixels and f/1.7 aperture;
- Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac modules, Bluetooth 4.2 LE, GPS/GLONASS navigation, NFC, microUSB 2.0;
- : accelerometer, geomagnetic, proximity, gyroscope, light, compass, barometer, heart rate, magnetic (), fingerprint sensor;
- Non-removable battery with a capacity of 3000 mAh with fast charging function;
- Platform with Samsung TouchWiz proprietary software shell;
- All-metal case with protection from moisture and dust (IP68) with tempered glass elements in colors: black onyx, platinum gold, white pearl, titanium silver;
- Thickness 7.9 mm, dimensions 142.4 x 69.6 mm, weight 152 grams;
- Price: 49,990 rubles;
- Release March 11, 2016.
Brief official characteristics of the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge (differences from the Galaxy S7):
- Curved edge 5.5-inch display with the same characteristics (534 ppi);
- Battery 3600 mAh (instead of 3000 for Galaxy S7);
- Thickness 7.7 mm, dimensions 150.9 x 72.6 mm (versus 7.9 mm for the Galaxy S7), weight 157 grams (instead of 152 grams);
- Price: 59,990 rubles.
Together with the Galaxy S6 Edge, Sasung has chosen a new direction for the development of its smartphones. They began to pay attention not only to improving technical characteristics, but also to what buyers pay attention to first - design. Let's test the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge and see what one of the manufacturer's most successful flagships can boast of.
Specifications of Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge:
- Screen: 5.5", Super AMOLED, 2560x1440, 534 ppi
- Processor: 64-bit octa-core Samsung Exynos 8890, 2.3 GHz
- Graphics accelerator: Mali-T880
- Operating system: Android 6.0 Marshmallow
- RAM: 4 GB
- Built-in memory: 32/64 GB
- Memory card support: microSDXC up to 200 GB (universal slot)
- Communication: GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz || UMTS 850/900/1900/2100 MHz || LTE 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 12, 13, 20
- SIM: nano-SIM + nano-SIM, Dual SIM Dual Standby (DSDS)
- Wireless interfaces: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.2 LE, NFC
- Navigation: GPS, GLONASS, Beidou
- Cameras: main - 12 MP (f/1.7, autofocus, LED flash), front - 5 MP (f/1.7, fixed focus)
- Sensors: proximity, light, heart rate, SpO2, microgyroscope, fingerprint scanner
- Battery: 3600 mAh, non-removable
- Dimensions: 72.6x150.9x7.7 mm
- Weight: 157 grams
The delivery set includes a network adapter with parameters 2A/5V and 1.67A/9V, a microUSB, USB cable, with which you can transfer data from one device to another (Smart Switch option), as well as a paper clip and documentation.
Design
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge 32gb review usually surprises with its design and optimal screen resolution - 5.5 inches. There are several body colors available - black, gold and silver. Most of the front panel is occupied by a screen, above which there is a front camera, sensors, a speaker and a corporate logo below it.
Below it we see the usual navigation keys “Back” and “Menu”, between which there is a “Home” key with a fingerprint scanner built into it. If previously there was a chrome edging around it, now they decided to abandon it, due to which the body is perceived as monolithic.
As the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge g935fd review showed, the screen is covered with curved protective glass. They did not abandon the metal frame running along the entire perimeter of the case. It increases its rigidity and saves internal elements in the event of a fall.
The volume control rocker was placed on the left side.
The power control button is installed on the right.
A slot for SIM cards is provided on top. Instead of the second one, you can install a memory card.
At the bottom end there is a 3.5 audio input, a microUSB port and an external speaker grille. This approach can be considered a real failure, because almost all new flagships are released with a USB Type-C port that supports fast charging technology. To connect the charger, you will first have to open the plug, which is installed to ensure the case is waterproof.
As befits a flagship, the back is made of glass, curved at the edges, which improves ergonomics. Compared to last year's model, the S7 has become a millimeter thicker, which was done in order to increase battery capacity. The camera opposite now does not protrude so much beyond the body, which allows you to be calm about its safety.
At the top of the back in the center there is an improved camera module, a flash and a heart rate sensor. To measure your pulse, you need to place your finger on it and go to the S Health application. The manufacturer did not forget to leave its logo on the back, which is located closer to the bottom.
The phone is very comfortable to hold in your hand thanks to the well-thought-out ergonomics of the case. This is primarily due to the rounded back. Other changes have also been beneficial, for example, the metal frame no longer digs into the hand, and its thickness has become an order of magnitude smaller.
Mechanical keys will be convenient for both left- and right-handed people to use; they fit clearly under the index finger and thumb. There is simply nothing to complain about regarding the build quality; everything here is beyond praise. There are certain concerns only about the hybrid tray for SIM cards. Its internal “grooves” are made of plastic, which is not as reliable.
The review of the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge smartphone turns to its display, which is built using Super AMOLED technology. It has already become a characteristic feature of the manufacturer’s devices and stands out for its bright, one might even say oversaturated color rendition. It has a diagonal of 5.5 inches combined with a high resolution - 2560x1440 pixels. An image with a high pixel density of 534 ppi is displayed on the screen. With such characteristics, it will be impossible to discern the pixel grid; the picture turns out juicy and highly detailed. The sides of the display are surrounded by frames 2.5-3 mm wide.
As the Samsung sm g935fd Galaxy S7 Edge 32gb review showed, the screen turned out to be simply wonderful. Its positive aspects include wide viewing angles and color rendition, which changes depending on the selected screen operating mode. This is a characteristic feature of AMOLED panels. A total of four modes are available - adaptive, cinema, basic and photo. Each of them differs in color temperature, gamma and color balance. If you like rich colors, then the first two modes will be optimal. But “Basic” and “Photo” look more natural.
While reviewing the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge 64gb, we couldn't help but mention the advanced functionality of the Edge's curved display. You can display application icons on the right or left side for quick access, as well as contacts so that they are always at hand. Now it is possible to use panels from third-party developers and independently customize the type and size of the curtain.
Performance of Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
Specifications of the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge vary depending on the version. In our country, the smartphone is sold with an Exynos 8890 processor with 4 cores up to 2.6 GHz and a similar number up to 1.6 GHz. We get good performance and, equally important, economical battery consumption. The Mali T880MP12 with support for the Vulcan API was chosen as the video accelerator. It is aimed at next-generation mobile games. The filling will remain relevant for at least several more years.
Synthetic test results
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge 32gb specifications suggest the presence of 4 GB of LPDDR4 RAM and 32 GB of internal memory, of which about 24 GB remains available for use. The volume can always be increased with a microSD card, but then the possibility of using a second SIM card is lost.
The characteristics of the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge allow the smartphone to confidently cope with any task, including demanding games at maximum graphics. In Tanks, at maximum graphics, fps never dropped below 38, other games also fly. Moreover, even during a long game the case does not heat up.
Interface
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge review in Russian moves on to the interface, which is built on Android 6.0.1, but with the proprietary TouchWiz shell. It has become a little lighter in the latest updates and received expanded functionality. The desktop was left unchanged, but the application menu can now be disabled in the settings, if you prefer to have them sorted on the desktop.
Autonomy
The Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge 128gb review showed that the battery with a capacity of 3600 mAh is responsible for its autonomy. With an active usage scenario, you can count on a day without recharging with 3-3.5 hours of web browsing, communicating on social networks, a small number of conversations, games and taking photos.
An hour of playing at a minimum comfortable brightness with an active Wi-Fi connection consumes about 15% of the charge. In video playback mode with the “Flight” option active at maximum brightness, 5% of the battery is consumed per hour. With continuous playback of FullHD videos for 10 hours, the smartphone lost only 51% of its charge, which is impressive.
The package includes an AC adapter that supports fast charging technology. The smartphone charges from zero to one hundred in less than two hours. And in the first 30 minutes, 60% has already accumulated. This saves you when you need to charge the battery at least a little before leaving the house. A review of the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge revealed support for wireless charging, which is also encouraging.
Wireless interfaces
S7 Edge received support for all wireless communication standards, including Russian LTE frequencies. During testing, the LTE data reception speed reached 87 Mb/s, and the transmission speed was within 36 Mb/s. This is very pleasing; the pages load in the browser instantly. There is support for Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, both 2.4 and 5 GHz. You can use Bluetooth 4.2 to transfer data. They didn’t forget about the NFC chip, located near the manufacturer’s logo.
Samsung g935f Galaxy S7 Edge review showed that you can use GPS, GLONASS or BeiDou to navigate the terrain. Searching for satellites takes no more than 10 seconds, and the “hot” start is instantaneous.
Cameras Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
The Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge camera review shows that the main module has a resolution of 12 megapixels, while last year’s flagship had 16. If you think that this had a negative impact on the quality of the pictures, then it’s not true, it’s more a modern module that has received improved characteristics, and the number of megapixels does not significantly affect the quality of shooting.
The new module received a photosensitive matrix (f/1.7) with large pixels (1.4 microns). Such characteristics allow you to capture more light, which improves the quality of shooting in any lighting conditions. In order for the pictures to be suitable even in low light conditions, the smartphone was equipped with a two-tone flash. The review showed that good pictures can be obtained in both day and night shooting conditions.
We also have no complaints about the video quality - we get well-detailed videos with natural color reproduction, and optical stabilization perfectly compensates for hand shaking.
The front camera has a resolution of 5 megapixels and aperture similar to the main module. It takes good photographs in any conditions and will be an excellent solution for those who cannot go a day without taking a selfie and are active on Instagram.
Conclusion
The Galaxy S7 edge smartphone boasts excellent functionality and performance, which remains relevant in 2017. It included all the best from the manufacturer’s previous flagships, but they didn’t stop there, offering many new features and improving some functions, including moisture protection and support for microSD cards. The result is an uncompromising flagship that meets the needs of almost all users. Its advantages include an improved design, premium body materials, amazing screen and performance, a good camera, battery life and moisture protection.
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The Samsung Galaxy S7 and its larger sibling, the S7 Edge, were shown off last night at a presentation at MWC. The new products are expectedly very interesting, stylish, high-quality, with an improved camera, and so on. There are already first impressions, results in AnTuTu and examples of photos from the built-in camera.
Instead of packaging, here is a photo of the box from the newest flagship. For now, we move on to the main part of our mini-review of the Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge.
Design
The evolution according to Samsung is obvious. We didn't see anything new. The surfaces at both the front and back are now slightly rounded. The result is a now fashionable 2.5D effect. By the way, if in 2016 you release a smartphone without such glass, then I don’t even know... what are you even counting on?
The bright, pearlescent, iridescent surfaces of both devices are very easily soiled. In the demo area, next to each pair of new products, there was a specially trained person armed with a soft cloth. At every opportunity, he wiped down the devices. You will do the same thing when you buy yourself one of the devices.
In the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, the screen remains curved on both sides. It is still quite difficult to use in everyday life, since the display located on the sides is easily pressed with your fingers or palm. This is especially difficult during shooting - some photographing mode is constantly activated. Holding a smartphone without pressing the screen is problematic.
There will be four color options available: gold, white, silver and black. We make allowances for very high gloss, so the colors are not present in their pure form.
Hardware features
There are a few things to note here.
Firstly, protection from moisture and dust has returned to the S7. IP68 standard. Previously, only the S5 could boast of this function, and then with the caveat that the device was splash-proof. Now, company representatives have officially announced that the smartphone can be immersed in water for 30 minutes to a depth of 1.5 meters and nothing will happen to it.
Secondly, no USB Type-C for you. On the one hand, why is it needed at all, since USB 3.0 is still an extremely rare phenomenon. On the other hand, many manufacturers have already released a device that supports the new connector, but the most important innovator, Samsung, is dragging its feet.
Thirdly, this is the return of Micro SD cards. Users around the world were indignant about their absence and the Koreans fortunately took this moment into account. The card is installed in the SIM card slot instead of one of the SIM cards. Both, by the way, have the Nano SIM form factor.
Fourthly, it's time to look at Samsung Galaxy S7 specifications(model SM-G930):
- RAM 4 GB
- 5.1-inch Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels (576 ppi)
- front camera 5 MP
- 3000 mAh battery (fast charge in 90 minutes)
- OS Android 6.0
- Dimensions: 142.4 x 69.6 x 7.9 mm
- weight 152 g
- Navigation: GPS, A-GPS
The younger version differs from the older one uncritically. Essentially, these are two identical devices, just one has a smaller screen, while the other is larger and curved at the edges.
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge Specifications(model SM-G935) look like this:
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor (MSM8996) 2.2 GHz (64-bit)
- processor (alternative) Exynos 8 Octa 8890 with a frequency of 2.3 GHz (64-bit)
- Adreno 530 or Mali-T880 MP14 graphics
- RAM 4 GB
- built-in storage 32 or 64 GB
- Supports Micro SD memory cards up to 200 GB
- 5.5-inch Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels (534 ppi)
- main camera 12 MP (f/1.7, pixel size 1.4 microns)
- front camera 5 MP
- 3600 mAh battery (fast charge in 90 minutes)
- OS Android 6.0
- Sensors: accelerometer, gyroscope, hall, proximity and lighting sensors, digital compass, barometer, fingerprint scanner
- connectors: Micro USB 2.0 (OTG works), 3.5 mm audio output
- Dimensions: 150.9 x 72.6 x 7.7 mm
- weight 157 g
- Communications: 4G (LTE Cat 9), Wi-Fi (802.11 ac), Bluetooth 4.2, NFC
- Navigation: GPS, A-GPS
For games
Something has been done for gamers as well. No, I’m not talking about the monstrous performance, which has increased by 30 percent compared to its predecessor, although it, of course, plays an important role. Here's the thing. Samsung decided to create additional tools for players who play a lot, actively share their achievements on social networks, and so on.
To do this, smartphones come pre-installed with the Game launcher software node, which catalogs all the toys in one place, allows you to turn off all notifications during gaming, is responsible for recording video from the device screen, takes screenshots, and so on.
Software chips
The smartphone screen is now always on. More precisely, when it is not lying face down, or in a pocket, or in a bag. At other times, it will always display the most necessary information (time, date, calendar, missed notifications). However, the appearance of constantly glowing elements can be customized quite deeply, even to the point of setting different pictures.
In addition, the device interface, including wallpapers, screensavers and application icons, can be changed to your liking. All this is now official and available in the corresponding app store from Samsung.
For Edge, it is now possible to install up to 9 side panels with shortcuts, folders, contacts and other useful information. You can install up to 10 elements on each panel, so you may not have to navigate the menu.
Camera Samsung Galaxy S7
The most important advantage of the new flagships is, of course, the camera. The main module here is 12 megapixels. Not much, it would seem, but after you look at examples of photos from the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge camera, you will understand that the number of megapixels is completely unimportant.
Below are examples of pictures from the camera of a regular Samsung Galaxy S7. They are in no way inferior to the camera of their curved brother.
You can download all photos in original resolution in one archive using the link.
In the new generation of smartphones, the pixels have become larger (1.4 microns), and the aperture has decreased to an impressive f/1.7. Thus, the photos will turn out even brighter, and their quality will improve.
In addition, a special mode called Motion Panorama has appeared. The point is this. You are taking a panoramic photo. Everything is as usual: we move the smartphone lens from left to right. After this, you get something like a photograph, by moving it left or right you can view what happened while you were taking the picture. This is the cunning response from the Koreans to Apple's Live Photos.
The file can only be played on a smartphone. When transferring it to another device, the device offers to save it either as a photo or as a video.
Accessories
There are a lot of them. These include all kinds of cases (transparent and not so transparent, flips, batteries, etc.), and new portable batteries, and wireless chargers, and so on.
Let us now focus on only one accessory called Lens Cover. There are two versions in nature. Each differs in the lens it comes with: something similar to a “telephoto lens” or a wide-angle lens. They are only available for S7 Edge. At least there were no models for the regular Essemer at the stand.
First, examples of photos and videos from one lens.
Here are examples of content shot on the S7 Edge camera, already with a wide-angle lens.
Bottom line
The new items turned out to be very, very interesting. No revolution happened, but no one expected it. Performance has increased, the already very decent camera has improved, new goodies have appeared - these are the updated Galaxy S series smartphones.
The devices will go on sale starting March 11. Where and for what money - these questions have not yet been answered. I doubt that we should expect anything different from the cost of the iPhone 6S in the US, which, let me remind you, is $649 and $749 for the 6S and 6S Plus, respectively. In Europe, and as a result in our country, these are 749 and 849, only in euros.
Early last year, Samsung released the Galaxy S6 and its curved display version, the GalaxyS6 Edge. Everything was fine until confusion appeared in the second half of the year in the form of the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+, which was presented along with the Note 5. And recently clarity has come, now we have the S7, S7 Edge with a 5.5″ display, and in August - September we will see Note 6. Of course, these are guesses, but they seem obvious to me. Today we’ll look at the first wave of Galaxy flagships.
Video review of Samsung Galaxy S7 & S7 Edge
Design and ergonomics
The design of the S7 clearly shows the features of last year's models. The S7 is similar to the S6, the S7 Edge is similar to the S6 Edge+, but in life, at the first meeting, you notice quite serious differences. Firstly, in all models the glass on the front and back is now 2.5D (except for places where it is 3D, it was previously 2D), which is why the smartphone feels more comfortable in the hand. This is especially true for the S7 Edge; the previous model had almost sharp edges and cut straight into the palm. Although some people like it, the new product wins in terms of convenience.
The materials remain the same: glass on the front and back, metal on the sides. The arrangement of the elements has also not changed, except for a few points. The camera does not stick out so much, which bothered many people, and the IR port has disappeared from the top edge. This is a pity, before it was possible to control household appliances. Although it was no longer present in the SGS6 Edge+ and Note 5.
From the point of view of design and ergonomics, I liked the new products. The regular S7 turned out to be more convenient to use, it is more compact and there are no false clicks on the side edges. But the impression of the curved edges of the display in the Edge still remains; nevertheless, this is still rarely seen anywhere. I didn’t like the fact that the glass is very easily soiled, fingerprints and stains are constantly visible on it, it needs to be wiped. Well, the logo on the front, how long, Samsung? I know which manufacturer’s smartphone I’m paying for, and if I forget, I can always look at the back. To be fair, somewhere common sense is beginning to take precedence over ambition and, at least for the domestic market, the S7 should be available without a logo on the front panel. I hope it's not fake.
The fingerprint scanner is located in the home key, as before. I liked it in terms of response speed, but Touch ID is still inferior, errors happen more often. You can add up to four fingerprints in total.
Many are confused by the lack of USB Type-C in the new product, but, as for me, this is easily explained. Firstly, Samsung themselves have been releasing all sorts of things for MicroUSB, like power banks and Gear VR 2. The transition would mean the incompatibility of the new flagships with other new devices within the company itself. Secondly, the market is not ready yet; such a sharp transition would have a rather detrimental effect on ordinary people. And so, LG, Huawei and other manufacturers will prepare the ground and S8 will solemnly acquire a new port next year. Or maybe Note 6 will come with it, we'll see.
But there are two things that came back to us straight from 2014, namely from the Samsung Galaxy S5 - a Micro SD memory card slot and, THANK YOU SO MUCH, IP68 protection. This means you can take your smartphone with you to the bathroom, to the pool, to the beach, in the rain, and generally anywhere. And instead of a memory card, if necessary, you can insert a second SIM card. This is not common among A-brands, you must agree.
Display
Of course, the screens in the new Super AMOLED products, which are getting better every year. Unlike the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge, the new generation has a diagonal split between the regular S7 and S7 Edge. The first display has a diagonal of 5.1″, the second – 5.5″. The resolution for both is QHD, or 2560x1440 pixels.
There is not much to say about the quality, it is gorgeous here, however, as in the case of the S6, in the regular S7 at maximum deflection angles, the glass shimmers with green and purple tones. There are no such gags with Edge. I don’t know why they didn’t do this before, but now, finally, information can be displayed on the display even in a locked state. This feature is called Always On. Why has Nokia had this since time immemorial, when no one had ever heard of Amoled displays, and Samsung has only just now implemented it? After all, Super AMOLED was simply created for such features, when only individual pixels can be displayed on the display, without including the entire display. Naturally, energy is spent only on those pixels that are active. So, the locked display can display the time, calendar, alerts, and even some individual pictures. Moreover, you can choose display styles, colors and even backgrounds. Yes, the picture does not have to be monochrome, because the model does not care how exactly an individual pixel will work. If the phone is in your pocket, thanks to the proximity sensors, it buys it and extinguishes this information until you take out the smartphone again. In short, it’s a small thing, but it’s so convenient, I’m very happy about it!
Cameras
For an inexperienced user, it may seem that the camera has become worse, because in the last generation it was 16 MP, and now it has been downgraded to 12. But back in our first one, I made the assumption that if this happens, the camera may wildly break away from everyone else white light. The white light of smartphones, of course. Why? Each individual pixel has become larger and is now 1.4 microns in size. Let me remind you that in SGS6 the size of an individual pixel is 1.2 microns. This means that each pixel can receive more light. Add here faster optics with f1.7 and you should really get something uncompromising. Is it so? We have already done the preliminary and the difference is not great, in some places the Samsung is a little better, in others the iPhone is a little better. This is not bad, because we are comparing the strongest, but I expected a gap, as I already said. By the way, the aspect ratio of the matrix has changed and is now 4:3, like in the iPhone.
As before, the camera has many modes, but I'm most interested in a few: a pro mode with completely manual settings, an auto mode for most tasks, a live broadcast mode on Youtube and the ability to take photos in RAW. It's all here. In RAW photos can be stretched quite a lot; TIFF and regular JPEG were not even close. In Snapseed you can already work with uncompressed formats and there you can extract information from completely illuminated areas, for example the sky. In this generation, SloMo has finally become usable; you can shoot honest 240 fps at 720p. Thanks for that too!
The front camera has a resolution of 5 MP, the aspect ratio of the matrix is the same as the main one - 4:3, but the angle is wide and now there is a lot of room not only on the sides, but also on the top and bottom. Profit! True, not everything is rosy with the detail on the front camera; it deliberately blurs everything a little to avoid the appearance of noise.
Examples of photos and videos are available; soon we will make a separate comparison of top camera phones!
Performance
We have already written a separate post on this part - they happen at maximum settings, but it’s not critical, you can already play. But in GTA SA at maximum speed everything can be bad: there are artifacts and a constant 20 fps feeling. I hope that this is just a game not tailored for Exynos, we'll wait and see. In any case, there were no problems with everything else: the interface works quickly, applications and games too.
We have here the latest eight-core Exynos 8890, Mali T880 M12 graphics and as much as 4 GB of RAM, of which 1.5 GB is always available to the user after closing all applications. User memory can be 32 or 64 GB, but the main thing is that it can be expanded using memory cards, up to 200 GB are supported. In Ukraine, a model with 32 GB of internal memory will be available only.
I was pleased with the battery capacity in both cases. In the regular Galaxy S7 it is 3000 mAh, in the Edge it is 3600 mAh. For comparison, the SGS6 Edge+ with a 5.7″ display diagonal had a battery capacity of 3000 mAh! So you can count on two days of more or less active work.
Samsung Galaxy S7 Specifications
- Dimensions: 142.4 x 69.6 x 7.9 mm.
- Weight: 152 g
- Graphics: Mali-T880 M12.
- Display: Super AMOLED, 5.1″, 2560 × 1440 pixels, 577 ppi
- Memory: 32, 64 GB flash
- RAM: 4 GB.
- Battery: Li-Pol battery 3000 mAh.
Specifications Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
- Dimensions: 150.9 x 72.6 x 7.7 mm.
- Weight: 157 g
- Operating system: Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow.
- Processor: eight-core, Exynos Octa 8890
- Graphics: Mali-T880 M12.
- Display: Super AMOLED, 5.5″, 2560 × 1440 pixels, 534 ppi
- Memory: 32, 64 GB flash
- RAM: 4 GB.
- Camera: main - 12 MP OIS, video recording in 4K, front - 5 MP.
- Wireless technologies: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1
- Interface connectors: 3.5 mm headphone jack, Micro USB 2.0.
- Battery: Li-Pol battery 3600 mAh.
BY
Out of the box, the user has access to the latest version of Android – 6.0.1 Marshmallow. A proprietary TouchWiz interface is installed on top of Android, which has long learned to be normal. It’s cool that there’s a minimum of third-party software; I remember with horror the years when a brand new device had several screens for something unknown and it couldn’t be demolished. Well, themes - they continue to develop, the theme store has been updated, beautiful and clear categories have appeared, there are more and more themes and many of them are of really high quality. If you want naked Android, go for it, if you want Hello Kitty? Stop reading my articles.
